The addition of center Dwight Howard has helped raise the expectations this season for the Lakers even higher than normal. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea, US Presswire

by Adi Joseph, USA TODAY Sports

by Adi Joseph, USA TODAY Sports

Dwight Howard still is limited to light practice and one-on-one drills, and his Los Angeles Lakers debut may be put on hold.

But any mental pain from sitting on the bench seems inconsequential compared to what he dealt with last season.

"What a lot of people don't know is when I hurt my back, it affected my nerves to the point where my whole left leg just went dead basically," Howard told reporters in Los Angeles on Thursday (via Los Angeles Times). "I couldn't do a calf raise.

"When I went to see the doctor right before I was traded, he said, 'Most guys don't recover as fast as you did, especially when it affects your nerve down your leg.' It usually takes a year for your leg to regain strength."

Howard won't play Saturday in a preseason game against the Utah Jazz. His preseason presence may be entirely limited to the bench at this point, and that seems to be a prudent move. He's put the decision in the hands of trainer Gary Vitti, the Times reports, and the NBA's 82-game season makes preseason kind of pointless to risk injury during.

Howard put himself at risk enough last season. He was limited to 54 games with the Orlando Magic, who went 33-21 with him and 4-8 without him. In that time, he averaged 20.6 points and an NBA-best 14.5 rebounds a game.

We didn't know all the details until this recent interview, though.

"I had some issues early in the season and I just kept playing through it - some back spasms and things," Howard told reporters. "I really didn't say anything. With all the stuff that was going on [his contract situation and possible trades], I just didn't want anybody thinking that I was trying to quit on my team or anything like that. Instead of me just sitting out, I just wanted to keep playing and show everybody that I was still with the team."